In the data released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), January 2024 has witnessed a significant milestone in data consumption, reaching an all-time high of 721,522 terabytes.
This figure surpasses the previous record set in December 2023, which stood at 713,200 terabytes.
The report also highlighted a substantial increase in active internet subscriptions, totaling 161,977,883, compared to 156,244,368 subscriptions recorded in January of the previous year.
Breaking down the subscriptions, mobile subscriptions accounted for the majority at 161,504,390 are followed by internet service providers with 213,876 subscriptions, fixed wire connections totaling 21,437, and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) reaching 238,180.
Despite a slight decline of 1.9 million internet users compared to December 2023, dropping from 163.8 million to 161.9 million, internet penetration remained strong at 42.53 percent. Broadband subscriptions totaled 92,195,937 million, indicating a continued preference for high-speed connectivity.
In addition to the data consumption statistics, the data also revealed a shift towards newer network generations, with 4G subscriptions increasing from 31.33 percent in December 2023 to 31.75 percent in January 2024.
Also, 5G subscriptions accounted for 1.11 percent of all connections in Nigeria, showing a slight increase from 1.04 percent recorded in December 2023.
However, Africa still lags behind in 5G coverage, with only 6 percent coverage as of December 2023, according to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). This is attributed to the persistent reliance on older mobile technologies like 2G and 3G networks across the continent.
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The ITU report emphasized the importance of legacy technologies in providing cost-effective mobile services, particularly in regions with limited access to advanced networks.
In Nigeria, as in many African countries, 2G and 3G networks continue to play a vital role in telecommunications, ensuring widespread connectivity despite challenges in deploying newer technologies.
